This invention relates generally to coolant maintenance systems and, more particularly, to a liquid coolant maintenance system in an internal combustion engine.
The importance of maintaining a cool running engine is well known in the art of engine maintenance. In order to ensure that engines operate within a particular temperature range, cooling systems have been incorporated in the design of internal combustion engines so as to circulate a coolant throughout the engine. During the operation of the cooling system, a stream of liquid coolant runs through a radiator and related piping where corrosion inhibitors contained within the coolant may be lost due to leakage or breakdown over time. This loss or breakdown of corrosion inhibitors results in the corroding of the components of the cooling system, thereby degrading the entire system.
It is well-known in the art to regenerate the coolant by introducing replacement corrosion inhibitors into the coolant stream. This regeneration is accomplished automatically by having the replacement corrosion inhibitors introduced into the coolant stream as a result of the corroding of a regeneration canister containing replacement corrosion inhibitors. As a result, an opening is created in the canister exposing the replacement corrosion inhibitors and thereby releasing them into the coolant stream. A problem exists, however, in that one cannot determine when the regeneration canister needs to be replaced. Because of this, an engine operator runs the risk of wasting unused replacement inhibitors by prematurely replacing the regeneration canister before the inhibitors have been depleted, or damaging the engine by corroding the cooling system because of a lack of inhibitors in the coolant. Given this problem, a monitoring system that informs an engine operator as to when the supply of replacement corrosion inhibitors had been used up and a new regeneration canister needs to be installed, is believed to be an improvement in the art.
Similarly, it is not desirable for engine coolant to contain contaminates. Thus, if a filter in a coolant maintenance system becomes blocked or clogged, it is believed to be an improvement in the art to have a monitoring system which informs the engine operator of the same.
The present invention of a coolant regeneration system includes a housing having an inlet port and an outlet port adapted to be in flow communication with a coolant stream, a filter positioned in the coolant stream, a regeneration canister containing a corrosion inhibitor positioned in the coolant stream and a monitoring apparatus for monitoring the operation of the system.
The present invention also includes a coolant regeneration system which includes a housing having an inlet port and an outlet port adapted to be positioned in flow communication with a coolant stream, a filter positioned in the coolant stream, a regeneration canister containing a corrosion inhibitor positioned in the coolant stream and a temperature sensing element positioned in coolant stream.
The present invention further includes a coolant regeneration system which includes a housing having an inlet port and an outlet port adapted to be in flow communication with a coolant stream, a filter positioned in the coolant stream, a regeneration canister containing corrosion inhibitor positioned in the coolant stream and a regeneration canister deterioration sensor.
The present invention also includes a method for maintaining the operation of a coolant regeneration system having a filter in flow communication with a coolant stream in which the method comprises the steps of providing a temperature sensing element to activate a warning indicator upon sensing a temperature less than a predetermined temperature and positioning the temperature sensing element so as to be capable of sensing the temperature of the coolant stream.
The present invention includes a method for maintaining the operation of a coolant regeneration system which includes a regeneration canister containing a corrosion inhibitor, in which the canister is positioned in a coolant stream, the method comprises the steps of providing a canister deterioration sensor to activate a warning indicator upon structural failure of a wall of the canister and positioning the canister deterioration sensor so as to be capable of detecting the structural failure of the wall of the regeneration canister.
The invention also includes a coolant regeneration system having a housing with an inlet port and an outlet port in flow communication with a coolant stream, a filter and a regeneration canister containing a corrosion inhibitor positioned in the coolant stream, which includes an integrity probe positioned against a wall of the regeneration canister and a non-corrosive coating positioned on the wall of the canister and between the canister and the integrity probe.